Moving Estimate

Professional Moving Tips: Selling Furniture On Craigslist

Why pay to move something you don’t want to keep?

One important thing to consider for any move is getting rid of items that you don’t want or need anymore. If you are downsizing your house, or you know that you want to get a new bedroom set at the new place, try to get rid of whatever you won’t need before you move. In a lot of cases, you can even make some money doing this!

There is an enormous market for second-hand furniture, old instruments, electronics, old appliances, collectibles, DVDs, books and other media, and pretty much anything else that you could imagine online. Even if you just want to get rid of items and you’re not concerned about getting any money for them – you can post ads for free online to help in reducing your clutter.

If you’ve never taken the time to check out Craigslist, moving would be a great time to start. Many people have found a market for used goods, and you can even find good deals on new furnishings for your new house as well. You can post individual items for sale on Craigslist, or you can even create a curbside alert (meaning that you have placed items on the sidewalk to be picked up for free).

Selling Items On Craigslist

• Take a few photos of what you’d like to get rid of. If there are scratches or any damaged spots, it’s best to show them clearly, usually using a quarter to show a relative size comparison.

• Pricing can be tricky. Search other ads for similar items and see what they are going for. Factor in the condition, the make, and how quickly you would like to get rid of the item.

• Beware of scammers! Unfortunately, you’re going to find that some percentage of the responses to your ad are going to be scammers and spammers. Play it safe by only allowing cash pick up for your items-never Western Union or money grant or anything else. You should never take a check from somebody that you don’t know.

• Offer deals to sell your things quicker. For example, if you’d like to sell a sofa and a love seat, offer individual pricing, and then maybe a $50-$100 discount for purchasing them together.

• Almost everybody on Craigslist will try to barter with you. If you can’t let something for for less than $200, list it at $225 or $230, so that you have a buffer before your bottom price.

Buying Items On Craigslist

• Usually, a seller will leave either a phone number to call or an email address. Make sure you connect with the seller to find out that the items you’re after are still available.

• Almost everybody on Craigslist barters. Don’t hesitate to make an offer for less than the asking price. The worst that could happen is the seller will say no to your offer.

• Fully inspect any items before you buy them. There’s really no returns for things purchased on Craigslist. Make sure that you check for damages, check that it is authentic (e.g. if they say it’s real wood, make sure it’s not particle board), and check for signs of the dreaded bedbug!

If you follow these tips before your move, you’ll not only save money on your move, but you can actually put some money back into your pocket!